How to use the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+?

In Android update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung did not implement the stock Android Pie navigation gestures. Instead, they added their own new navigation gestures as one of the new features in the One UI.

This Galaxy S9 Android Pie update guide explains the details of the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, the difference between the Android Pie navigation gestures and the full-screen navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, and show you how to enable and use them.

What are the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+?

In Android Pie (Android 9), Google introduced a set of gestures for the home buttons, Android Pie navigation gestures, to help users to navigate and switch apps very quickly.

Essentially, in stock Android Pie, if the navigation gestures are enabled, the Recents/Overview button will be removed. The back button appears only if it is needed. This creates a very clean UI with one Home button as explained in this page.

Of course, Samsung thought they have a better solution.

In the Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung chooses to collapse the 3 navigation buttons into 3 lines on the bottom of the screen. You then just swipe up from these 3 lines to replace the function of pressing the buttons.

So, you will find the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ are substantially different from the Android Pie navigation gestures.

The major differences between Android Pie navigation gestures and the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ include:

In the stock Android Pie, all navigation gestures are based on the home button. In Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, there are 3 lines for the gestures.

In the stock Android Pie, you have 5 touch screen gestures for the home button: press (tap), long press (long tap), swipe upwards, slow swipe upwards (or double swipe upwards), swipe to the right, swipe to the right and hold. But in Galaxy S9 and S9+, swipe upwards is the only gesture for the right and left lines. The line in the middle accepts only swipe up and long press.

In the stock Android Pie, you can directly switch to the most recent app by swiping to the right side. If you swipe to the right side and hold, you can select from recently closed apps and re-open it. Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ do not have this option.

Anyway, Samsung’s implementation may be good for new users who are still trying to figure out Back and Recents (Overview) buttons. It apparently makes the usable screen larger.

But for experienced users, the stock Android Pie gestures are probably more useful.

Please note, with the new navigation gestures in the Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung removed two of the popular navigation bar features:

The background color customization option. You cannot customize the background color for the navigation bar after updating Galaxy S9 or S9+ to Android Pie.

In the navigation bar settings, you can find two options under navigation type:

Navigation buttons.

Full-screen gestures.

If the option of navigation buttons is enabled, you can see the 3 buttons as shown in the screenshot below. Please note, the graphic design of the navigation buttons was updated. The button with 3 vertical lines is the new Recents button.

Tap the switch for full-screen gestures to turn on gesture navigation as shown below.

Once the navigation gestures are enabled, as shown above, you can find the 3 buttons turn into 3 lines.

At any time, you can disable the navigation gestures and revert to navigation buttons.

Please note if you turn off auto-rotate and holding the phone in landscape orientation, you may also see the rotation toggle button in the navigation bar for about 3-5 seconds. You can use the button to change and lock the screen orientation as explained in this guide.

How to use the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+?

As mentioned, the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ are very simple.

Swiping up from the lines equals tapping the corresponding buttons. For example, if you swipe from the line on the left side, you essentially tap the left button, which by default is Recents/Overview button if you did not change the button order. If you want to go back to the Galaxy S9 home screen, you need to swipe up from the line in the middle.

Press and hold the middle line to open Google Assistant.

When using the navigation gestures, you cannot visually identify the back and recents/overview buttons. You need to check the button layout if you forget whether you customize the button layout.

How to hide the navigation buttons in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+?

For official Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ user manuals in your language, you may check this page (if your Galaxy S9 or S(+ is running Android Oreo), or this page (if your Galaxy S9 and S9+ have got the Android Pie update).

Detailed how-to guides for new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ be found on this page.

I have an S9 and just updated to the latest OS update. I hate the Recent Apps showing up on the screen and cant get rid of them. Any ideas? All other implementations of Pie show you can turn them off in the wall paper settings. But no.

Do you mean the suggested apps (4 or 5 depending on your home screen grid settings) on the bottom in the Recents/Overview screen? They can be removed. When you are in the Recents screen, tap the menu key (3 vertical dots) right to the search bar on the top, tap settings, then uncheck Suggested apps.

In any version of Android, you cannot disable Recents/Overview screen.

My phone recently updated last night. Now when I want to close a specific recent app, I cannot do so. The only option I can see to close all recent apps. Is there a way to close just one of the recent apps?

I can’t stand this new update, it’s very annoying, it changes things you don’t want changed and adds things you don’t want added. You should be able to pick and choose what you want to install from each update. Sooo now my question is since there’s no way to uninstall the new 2019 update, is there any way to disable the feature at the bottom where when you press the 3 little lines, you have the option to “close” all open apps/tabs or whatever… it used just be that which is great but now under that there’s some kind of navigation bar that I need to disable. I don’t like it, it’s distracting and not useful for me. Can someone please please help?

Do you mean the 5 (or 4 depending on grid settings) suggested apps below “close all”? They can be disabled. In the Recents screen (when you see the 5 app icons below close all button), tap the menu key (3 vertical dots right to the search bar on the top of the screen, then tap Settings in the menu, then you can find the option to turn on or turn off Suggested apps.

Hello, found something else I would like to change… Background color to calendar the way it’s set up I can’t see all days (numbers) just the day we’re on like today’s date. I would like to see all the days numbers like in a regular calendar. Also text background I can see their pic profile bubble but their name is faded along with text. Is there a way to change that to be able to see better without squinting? Same with contacts, when thou press the button yo get your contacts but nothing is bold and color is faded so it’s not easy to tell unless you really squint your eyes or have a bubble with their picture on it. Can you please help? Thank you 🙂

For the calendar, there are several different views. You can tap the navigation menu ( 3 lines on the top left), the choose year view, Month view, week view, and Day view. If you choose Month view, you can keep swipe up or down to get different views as well. (You can also access the navigation menu by swiping from the left to the right inside the calendar app).

I am not sure about the background color issues. For me, both the default theme and night mode works very well for the said apps. There are no issues. Are you using a third-party theme? If yes, try to switch back to the default theme. If possible, you can share the screenshot on our Facebook page (please remove all private/sensitive info) so that others can understand the issue you are facing.

So everything seemed great with the update until… I was texting with the navigation bar on its default setting. When I tried to use my emojis I could not swipe through the various emoji pages, nor could I revert to the normal keyboard, because the buttons were under the navigation bar, and therefore, ‘unclickable’. I changed the nav bar to gestures with ‘gesture hints’ on, but still it was half covering the buttons. I don’t like not having the hints on, as I don’t like not seeing the relevant place to click/swipe (just personal preference). Personally, I think it’s totally ridiculous that a Samsung default app (Messaging) should be so negatively affected by Samsung’s own adaptation of the update. I know it may seem like a fairly minor problem, but I’ve spent hours trying to find a workaround, and it is exasperating me. These types of thing are what will ultimately make the difference between whether I get another Samsung, or not, when I upgrade next. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hi, Thanks for the reply. I think I’ve sorted it. My phone was set on the Samsung Neural keyboard. I have set it to the regular keyboard and it seems to be working fine now. I had actually spent hours trying to figure it out, and now I feel silly that I hadn’t tried changing that earlier. Thanks again.

I hate this new update! Help! I know you cannot hide the nav bar – but, it’s so darn bright when my phone is in clock mode at night. The nav bar glows all night – along with my clock/alarm. Any way around this?

The thing I really REALLY miss (and a quick search in the past couple of hours since I updated shows I’m not the only one) is the ability to vertically stack the open apps. That way I see everything open in one quick glance and not have to keep swiping sideways.

Leave us not discuss the removal of Total Silence from DND which is completely heinous.

Now when I watch a movie or any video on my phone, the navigation bar doesn’t hide itself. It just lays there on the side glaring at me. I want it to disappear! Why is it there in landscape/ video mode… even after I hit the button to expand and fit to screen? – Thanks in advance for the help.